Stepping Up
by dmaeq
Summary: With his ex-wife Marley Rose comatose due to an accident, Jake Puckerman takes on the responsibility of taking care of her baby.
1. Chapter 1

Stepping Up

Chapter 1

Jake Puckerman was awakened by the phone ringing in the middle of the night.

"Hello" He said into the phone.

"Jake it's me Millie." The voice said.

Millie was Milie Rose, Jake's ex mother-in-law. Jake married his ex-wife Marley when they were 18. The marriage ended a year later. Marley married Ryder Lynn two years later.

"Millie what is it?" Jake said.

"It's Marley, she and Ryder were in an accident. I didn't know who to call. I feel alone." Millie said.

"What happend exactly?" Jake said in a sympathic tone.

"Marley and Ryder were sideswiped by truck. Ryder is dead and Marley is hurt really bad. I know things ended ugly between you two. But I loved you like a son Jake. Can you come to the hospital?" The woman cried.

"I'll be there soon." Jake said.

The man then got out of bed and threw a shirt and jeans on and then shoes. He got his car keys and headed to Lima General Hospital.

Jake still loved his ex-wife very much and he worried about her condition. He also felt bad that Ryder was dead.

He walked into the lobby of the hospital and found Millie waiting for him. He was heartbroken at stress and worrying that showed on her face. He hugged the large woman.

"Do you know what kind of injuries Marley has?" He said.

"The doctors said she has a broken leg, internal injuries, and a severe head injury. She is in a coma." Millie cried.

Jake comforted her and said, "She is a strong person and she will make it though."

Millie nodded, "I hope she does. But she is pregnant too."

"How far along?" Jake asked.

"Six months." Millie said.

…

Jake entered Marley's hospital room. The young women had a breathing tube in her mouth and various EKG leads on her upper body. Her left leg was in a long cast and elevated on pillows. Jake noticed her pregnant belly and monitors attached to hit. Various cuts on her face were stitched up and bandaged.

"Hi Marley. It's me Jake. I'm so sorry about what happend to you and Ryder." Jake said.

He took her hand and then said, "Your mom called me. I still love her and you. I hope you get better and that your baby will be ok."

Tears streamed down his face.

…...

Over the next few weeks, Jake continue visiting with Marley and helping Millie out with different things. The funeral for Ryder was held. Jake met with Ryder's parents and gave his condolences.

Jake arrived at the hospital for his daily visit. Millie was at Marley's bedside stroking her daughter's hair and reading to her.

"Hey Jake." Millie said.

"Hi how is Marley doing?" He asked.

"She isnt' doing well and the baby seems to be under some stress. The doctors are scheduling a C section tomorrow morning. It is still too early for the baby" Millie said.

"I'll be here tomorrow. I can take off of work from the shop." He said.

"Thank you Jake. Ryder's parents are too heartbroken and they don't want to deal with the baby." Millie said.

"I know it sounds weird, but I love Marley's baby like it's my own." He said.

…..

Jake arrived at the hospital. He watched as Marley was prepped to be taken into the OR. He and Millie were given scrubs to wear in the operating room.

They watched from several feet away as the surgeon made an incision and took the baby out. A soft cry was heard and the baby was then handed off to nurses and doctors who tended to the tiny premature baby girl. Jake watched as the tiny baby was placed in an incubator and then transported to the NICU.

Jake got close to the incubator and said, "Hey there baby girl. My name is Jake. I love your mother very much and I was married to her years ago, before she married your dad. He is up in heaven. I promise to be here for you, your mom and your Grandma Millie."

He spent a couple of hours watching the 2 and half pound baby in the incubator. After Marley was settled back in her room, he went to visit with her.

Jake took Marley's pale hand and said, "I saw your baby girl. She is beautiful like you and she is fighting. You need to wake up for her sake Marley"

…

A week had past and the baby girl became known as Ashley Lynn. Ryder's parents visited their baby granddaughter a couple of times. One day, they noticed Jake sitting at Marley's bedside.

They asked to speak to him in the hospital cafeteria.

Mr. Lynn started, "Jake, I want to thank you for the support you have been giving our deceased son's wife and his daughter. We love both of them, but the situation has overwhelmed us. We feel that Ashley needs a parent and we were wondering if you would become her foster father and help Milie take care of her while Marley is her current condition."

Jake was shocked by what Mr. Lynn was asking him. He did love Marley and he had developed a love for Ashley. But he was shocked that he was being asked to be her foster father.

"I'm not sure, if I could be a foster parent" Jake said.

"We have spoken to a lawyer and he said the process can start immediately and Millie will be acting on Marley's behalf. Mrs. Lynn said.

A week later, Jake dressed in a suit was in a courtroom. The Lynns arranged for a guardianship hearing.

The court judge reviewed the paperwork, "Jacob Puckerman, the court approves your guardianship of Ashley Lynn. You are now her legal guardian."

Jake nodded at what the judge said.

He went back to the hospital to visit his ex wife and foster daughter.

The baby girl now weighed three pounds and was still in the incubator. Jake put his hands through the attached gloves on the side of the incubator and placed his hand on the baby's face.

"It's official you are my foster daughter. I will make sure you are are taken care of and let's hope your mom wakes up soon." Jake said.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: The previous chapter has been edited to change some plot details. I decided to have Jake be Ashley's foster father instead of adoptive father.

Stepping Up Chapter 2

Two weeks had past since Jake became Ashley's foster father. He started taking parenting classes and Millie helped him set up the spare room in his apartment as a nursery. At the hospital, he split his time between visiting with Marley and seeing Ashley in the NICU.

The baby was getting stronger by the day. Jake enjoyed telling her stories about Marley and how they met at McKinley High School.

"Your mom can sing really well and I hope you can hear her someday." Jake said.

Sarah Holt, one of the main NICU nurses entered the unit. She smiled at Jake being with his foster daughter.

"Hi Mr. Puckerman how are you doing today?" She asked.

"I'm doing good. I'm proud of Ashley. The doctors think she will get out of the incubator in a couple of days." He said.

"She is strong little girl. Sometimes miracles happen. How is her mother doing?" The nurse asked.

"The neurologists ran some CT scans yesterday. The swelling in her brain has gone down. They keeping saying she may wake up at any time." Jake said.

….

A couple of days later, in the NICU Jake started to tell Ashley the story of his proposal to Marley.

_It was the summer before Jake and Marley's senior year. They had spent the summer going to various amusement parks around the state. Both of them worried about the future. Jake wanted to go to college in state and Marley thought about going to the Berklee College of Music. Jake hated the idea of Marley going away from that far. With money saved up from summer jobs, Jake found a nice ring at a low price._

_With help, from Ryder who was friend to both him and Marley. He set up a proposal at the Lima Bean. _

Jake's story was then interpreted by Dr. Kevin Black.

"Hi . You are just who wanted to speak to." The tall doctor said.

"Ok about we talk in the hallway." Jake said.

"Ashley's health has improving and she now weighs close to five pounds. We are taking her out of the incubator and respirator tomorrow"Dr. Black said.

"Do you think it would be possible for me to take Ashley to Marley's room. She needs to meet her mother?" Jake said.

"We can take Ashely in the incubator to Marley's room today and then tomorrow she will get out." Dr Black said.

Jake smiled at the doctor's idea.

A few hours later, the incubator was situated in Marley's room. Marley was no longer on a ventilator, but was on oxygen nasal cannulas. She was pale and looked weak. Jake went over to the incubator.

"Ashley we are in your mom's room right now. Tomorrow when you get out of the incubator. I'm going to put you near your mom so you can feel her" He said.

…

The next day, Jake and Millie watched as the nurses put tiny custom clothes on Ashley. A nurse wrapped her in a blanket.

"Ok who wants to hold the baby first?" She asked.

Jake said, "Let her grandmother hold her."

Millie had tears in her eyes as her granddaughter was placed in her arms. The little girl was still a bit fragile.

Jake watched as the two bonded.

Ten minutes later, he held his foster daughter for the first time. He then walked over to Marley's bedside and sat down.

"Marley, your baby girl is here and she needs to wake up." Jake said.

He then gently placed the baby over Marley's lap.

"Ashley you feel your mom. Now you have to work your magic to help wake her up." He said.


End file.
